Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
I know that the glass in the commercially-produced frames is only standard issue, not UV-protected, and I'm concerned that the sun is sucking up the beautiful dyes, one day at a time.
Has anyone had experience with how long stamps can be exposed before the damage
begins to show? Would a change to UV protected glass be adequate to protect the artwork?
(Perhaps the school could be persuaded at least to remove stamps artwork from the walls
during summer when the rays are at their very strongest!)
Login to Like
this post
06:22:40pm
Most collectors don't display stamps on the wall at all. Stamps fade due to direct or indirect, artificial or sun light. The collectors that I know who do put a few stamps in frames, keep them in hallways where the lights are only on for a few minutes a day. I know the children want to see the art they made, but it would be best to store them in a dark, temperature controlled environment and only display them as necessary. My mother has been a teacher my entire life, so I can see you being unhappy with that answer. The only other choice is to keep them out of direct light and in a place with indirect light and accept that they will fade over time.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news! 
Login to Like
this post
Hiding the stamp collages in a dark room defeats the purpose of the students' project so the school will have to come up with an acceptable alternative that will slow the damage caused by light.
Here is a good reference on the effects of light on documents/paper http://www.nedcc.org/resources/leaflets/2The_Environment/04ProtectionFromLight.php from the Northeast Document Conservation Center in Andover, MA.
The bottom line is that all light will cause damage but UV is the most destructive.
Some options to delay the destructive effects could include UV-blocking film (probably cheaper than buying UV-blocking glass), covering the displays at day's end and on weekends, periodically rotating the displays to reduce exposure to the direct sunlight, etc.
The School might also consider contacting the NEDCC to seek their recommendations regarding preservation of the stamp collages.
Steve
Login to Like
this post
09:08:26am
Steve,
Thank you for providing helpful links. In case my message was muddled, that was my point. Accept that they will fade and find a way to minimize the damage.
Lisa
Login to Like
this post
Lisa,
Your message was clear and spot-on. I just wanted to provide Charlotte with some possible workarounds for the collages' current display location and identify a potential resource in relatively close proximity of the school.
Steve
Login to Like
this post
09:28:36am
Thank you, Steve! Sorry I called you Tom!! Fixing that now!!
Login to Like
this post
Lisa and Steve,
Thanks so much for your thoughts and comments. I especially like the suggestion of contacting NEDCC, especially since it's right here in MA.
Meantime, I hope to be able to initiate some sort of display modification to happen sooner rather than later for the preservation of the children's unique stamps artwork.
Charlotte
Login to Like
this post
I would say that using stamps for art projects is a poor choice of medium for the exact reason that the stamps will fade quickly under direct sunlight. You will see a noticable difference after a couple of days of direct exposure. Of course, some issues / colors / printing methods are more prone to fading than others.
To the point:
Login to Like
this post
OUCH! Thank you for that all-too-vivid show and tell.
I have since emailed folks at the NEDCC for specific suggestions going forward,
and will be contactinf school personnel regarding the need to immediately remove the two collages from the sunlit foyer!
Thank you so much!
C.
Login to Like
this post
As a working Archivist by day, I second what Steve and Lisa have posted. The enemies of documents and photos and their gradual deterioration is exposure to light, high temperature, high humidity, and pollutants. Ideally you would want to store the stamps in a dark cool environment with relative humidity of 48-50%, but since this isn't possible then the other option is to mitigate the effects from the light. NEDCC is a great resource and I am sure someone on staff will be able to help you.
Vince
Login to Like
this post
There is a potential bright (non-fading) side to this. Maybe one or more of the children doing the artwork with the stamps will decide to collect some and become collectors too!
Login to Like
this post
Michael-
Yes, there is that "bright" possibility. In fact several have dragged their parents (LOL) to Family Day events at the wonderful Spellman Museum of Stamps and Postal History in Weston, MA http://www.spellman.org/ - a stop which belongs on every philatelist's bucket list! Changing exhibits, worthwhile speaker programs, and hands-on activities for kids and families.
Again, thanks to all for the input about getting the kids' collages out of the sun....can't happen soon enough. (Unfortunately, they're still up and being batherd in UV rays during this school vacation week - OUCH!) Waiting for an after-holiday response from NEDCC.
Login to Like
this post
What others have said about stamps and light applies to everything else as well. Colours fade, and there's nothing that anyone can do about it. Complete darkness and "perfect" temperature and humidity control will slow fading, but eventually the colour will go. Paper, as well, will become brittle and discoloured. I have long since accepted the fact that I am not the owner of my stamps, covers, and postcards, but the temporary custodian. At some point in the future, my collection will no longer exist regardless of the care that I or other collectors provide.
I have a suggestion about the collage that is the subject of this thread. If the problem were mine, I would make a hi-res image of it and have an "archival" print made. Granted, a print is not the same as an original, but photographic and printing technology these days makes any difference almost a moot point, at least when the purpose is to focus on the art and not the stamps themselves.
A suggestion for collectors who are seriously interested in preserving their collections for as long as possible: Check out the products sold by a company called Light Impressions, at http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.com.
Bob
Login to Like
this post
Les submitted this link on another post. The site has research on the envioromental effects of light on ink and stamps.
tp://www.analyticalphilately.org/
Login to Like
this post
Thank you all for your interest and responses. I'm still working to get follow-up action taken regarding my concerns about the UV rays damaging the stamps artwork....
Login to Like
this post
Recently I discovered that two of the stamps collage pictures, made by students working on the Holocaust Stamps Project at a Foxboro, MA school, using thousands of beautiful (donated)stamps, have been moved to a bright sunlit foyer hallway for better public viewing access. Although they look great there, it suddenly dawned on me that this could be an awful choice in terms of the long-term integrity of the stamps!
I know that the glass in the commercially-produced frames is only standard issue, not UV-protected, and I'm concerned that the sun is sucking up the beautiful dyes, one day at a time.
Has anyone had experience with how long stamps can be exposed before the damage
begins to show? Would a change to UV protected glass be adequate to protect the artwork?
(Perhaps the school could be persuaded at least to remove stamps artwork from the walls
during summer when the rays are at their very strongest!)
Login to Like
this post
It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. - Aristotle Onassis
16 Feb 2013
06:22:40pm
re: Seeking advice about stamps fading
Most collectors don't display stamps on the wall at all. Stamps fade due to direct or indirect, artificial or sun light. The collectors that I know who do put a few stamps in frames, keep them in hallways where the lights are only on for a few minutes a day. I know the children want to see the art they made, but it would be best to store them in a dark, temperature controlled environment and only display them as necessary. My mother has been a teacher my entire life, so I can see you being unhappy with that answer. The only other choice is to keep them out of direct light and in a place with indirect light and accept that they will fade over time.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news!
Login to Like
this post
re: Seeking advice about stamps fading
Hiding the stamp collages in a dark room defeats the purpose of the students' project so the school will have to come up with an acceptable alternative that will slow the damage caused by light.
Here is a good reference on the effects of light on documents/paper http://www.nedcc.org/resources/leaflets/2The_Environment/04ProtectionFromLight.php from the Northeast Document Conservation Center in Andover, MA.
The bottom line is that all light will cause damage but UV is the most destructive.
Some options to delay the destructive effects could include UV-blocking film (probably cheaper than buying UV-blocking glass), covering the displays at day's end and on weekends, periodically rotating the displays to reduce exposure to the direct sunlight, etc.
The School might also consider contacting the NEDCC to seek their recommendations regarding preservation of the stamp collages.
Steve
Login to Like
this post
It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. - Aristotle Onassis
17 Feb 2013
09:08:26am
re: Seeking advice about stamps fading
Steve,
Thank you for providing helpful links. In case my message was muddled, that was my point. Accept that they will fade and find a way to minimize the damage.
Lisa
Login to Like
this post
re: Seeking advice about stamps fading
Lisa,
Your message was clear and spot-on. I just wanted to provide Charlotte with some possible workarounds for the collages' current display location and identify a potential resource in relatively close proximity of the school.
Steve
Login to Like
this post
It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. - Aristotle Onassis
17 Feb 2013
09:28:36am
re: Seeking advice about stamps fading
Thank you, Steve! Sorry I called you Tom!! Fixing that now!!
Login to Like
this post
re: Seeking advice about stamps fading
Lisa and Steve,
Thanks so much for your thoughts and comments. I especially like the suggestion of contacting NEDCC, especially since it's right here in MA.
Meantime, I hope to be able to initiate some sort of display modification to happen sooner rather than later for the preservation of the children's unique stamps artwork.
Charlotte
Login to Like
this post
re: Seeking advice about stamps fading
I would say that using stamps for art projects is a poor choice of medium for the exact reason that the stamps will fade quickly under direct sunlight. You will see a noticable difference after a couple of days of direct exposure. Of course, some issues / colors / printing methods are more prone to fading than others.
To the point:
Login to Like
this post
re: Seeking advice about stamps fading
OUCH! Thank you for that all-too-vivid show and tell.
I have since emailed folks at the NEDCC for specific suggestions going forward,
and will be contactinf school personnel regarding the need to immediately remove the two collages from the sunlit foyer!
Thank you so much!
C.
Login to Like
this post
10:29:38pm
re: Seeking advice about stamps fading
As a working Archivist by day, I second what Steve and Lisa have posted. The enemies of documents and photos and their gradual deterioration is exposure to light, high temperature, high humidity, and pollutants. Ideally you would want to store the stamps in a dark cool environment with relative humidity of 48-50%, but since this isn't possible then the other option is to mitigate the effects from the light. NEDCC is a great resource and I am sure someone on staff will be able to help you.
Vince
Login to Like
this post
re: Seeking advice about stamps fading
There is a potential bright (non-fading) side to this. Maybe one or more of the children doing the artwork with the stamps will decide to collect some and become collectors too!
Login to Like
this post
re: Seeking advice about stamps fading
Michael-
Yes, there is that "bright" possibility. In fact several have dragged their parents (LOL) to Family Day events at the wonderful Spellman Museum of Stamps and Postal History in Weston, MA http://www.spellman.org/ - a stop which belongs on every philatelist's bucket list! Changing exhibits, worthwhile speaker programs, and hands-on activities for kids and families.
Again, thanks to all for the input about getting the kids' collages out of the sun....can't happen soon enough. (Unfortunately, they're still up and being batherd in UV rays during this school vacation week - OUCH!) Waiting for an after-holiday response from NEDCC.
Login to Like
this post
re: Seeking advice about stamps fading
What others have said about stamps and light applies to everything else as well. Colours fade, and there's nothing that anyone can do about it. Complete darkness and "perfect" temperature and humidity control will slow fading, but eventually the colour will go. Paper, as well, will become brittle and discoloured. I have long since accepted the fact that I am not the owner of my stamps, covers, and postcards, but the temporary custodian. At some point in the future, my collection will no longer exist regardless of the care that I or other collectors provide.
I have a suggestion about the collage that is the subject of this thread. If the problem were mine, I would make a hi-res image of it and have an "archival" print made. Granted, a print is not the same as an original, but photographic and printing technology these days makes any difference almost a moot point, at least when the purpose is to focus on the art and not the stamps themselves.
A suggestion for collectors who are seriously interested in preserving their collections for as long as possible: Check out the products sold by a company called Light Impressions, at http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.com.
Bob
Login to Like
this post
re: Seeking advice about stamps fading
Les submitted this link on another post. The site has research on the envioromental effects of light on ink and stamps.
tp://www.analyticalphilately.org/
Login to Like
this post
re: Seeking advice about stamps fading
Thank you all for your interest and responses. I'm still working to get follow-up action taken regarding my concerns about the UV rays damaging the stamps artwork....
Login to Like
this post